Musings and Photos about Life and Real Estate Development in Post-Industrial Brooklyn and New York City

Sunday, December 23, 2007

Petition to Stop Eviction of Court Street Tailor/Cleaner

As another local business on Court Street is being forced out by a new landlord and high rent, residents appear to be taking up the cause. They're trying to get neighbors to sign a petition supporting the Trusting Tailoring & Cleaning laundry at 232 Court, which is at the corner of Baltic and they're also writing to local elected officials to try to get them to help stop the eviction. Here's an email that's going around:

Many of you have used the Trusting Tailors on Court Street or have passed by their friendly shop. After being at that location for more years than I can remember, the OH's are being evicted (new landlord, new HIGH rent). Some neighbors have been in touch with Bill DiBlasio and other elected officials to try to prevent their eviction in March. There is a petition in the store that will go to Bill DiBlasio to show community support to block their eviction. Please walk by and sign the petition. The store is generally open from 7 am to around 7 p.m.

THe Oh family is lovely and always donate to community causes plus have a collection box for people to send snacks, or holiday cards, (and non-perishable items) to our troops in Iraq. The Oh's are wonderful neighbors and have a big heart. Please stop by and sign their petition.

Another day, another threatened business.

UPDATE: City Council Member de Blasio is said to be planning a drop by at the store to show his support, possibly on Monday (12/24). Supporters are also asking neighbors to stop into the stores as a sign of support for the threatened owners.

Hmmm. That cement business is a completely different story. You must be a contractor.;) It's about keeping small business, Laundry, paint store, or five and dime. Why would we be "self centered"? I'm not supporting a petition for my induction into the hall of fame for lost causes! or do you suspect that the dry cleaner is convenient for doing my piles of oxford shirts so I can work at a bank and come home to my condo and go to Starbucks? That cement plant can go anywhere it wants. Or are you just a xenophobic?

Why don't you pay the additional rent? Why don't they up their prices to pay the additional rent? All of you would support whatever price increase needed to keep them in business-or NOT! Its easy to sign some bullshit petition. Grow up they had a long lease at well below market rent i'm sure, why didn't they invest the money they earned to buy the building or a nearby one when the neighborhood was worthless shit. Their lack of business foresight was their own undoing. I was in the same situation and guess what I busted my ass to scrape up the money now I AM THE LANDLORD! Boo hoo to them NEXT tenant.

People live (or own a business) in a section of the city where they can afford the rent. Unfortunately, if richer people come along, the poor get pushed out. This is the process of "cleansing" the inner city of poverty. Many who are displaced can only afford to go to areas that are not safe, because they are sacrificing to send their children to school so they will afford a less stressful life themselves. I really hope the cleaner stays to serve the people who have little money by keeping their prices reasonable!

Wow -- That's Court and Baltic, my old neighborhood! That dry cleaners is as old as dirt. And I'm amazed the sign has lasted. It's the same one I remember from 1970.In the 1950s, that location was a grocery/sandwich shop called Sullivan's. A lot of their business was selling hero sandwiches to the students from St. Francis College, which was on Baltic St. till 1960.My two cents...

The Ohs are the nicest people - guaranteed to put a smile on anyones' face and one of the businesses that made Cobble Hill the homey neighborhood we loved to live. Their eviction - and that of others like them over the last few years - is why we high tailed it out of there...I am sure a dunkin donuts or such will go up in its place...and the uber-cool people that live in cobble hill will never notice.